Headphone Actor
by Lunakatsuma
Summary: Tsuna, the young Vongola Decimo, saw himself as an actor to the world; always having to be who he wasn't. He was a headphone actor, and music was his only salvation from the bullying and unfairness of life. So when Hibari takes away his much needed headphones, Tsuna is willing to do virtually anything to get them back. But falling in love with the prefect had not been in the plan.
1. Prologue

**Luna: This fanfic originated from a plotbunny that **Exile Wrath**, who writes amazing KHR fanfics that I recommend reading****, gave me. They are currently giving away **_**twenty-four **_**plotbunnies (and that's only about half of them), so PM **Exile Wrath **if you're interested.**

…**seriously. PM them. They need plotbunny relievement. A lot of it.**

'**Headphone Actor' is semi-AU... and _1827_. Yaoi. *fangirls* =w= Now enjoy~!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: (DISCLAIMER) Luna doesn't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Juudaime! Are you sure about this? At least let me go with you!"

Tsuna laughed as his Storm Guardian continued to rant worriedly, bowing as he did so. "Hayato, calm down. We've gone over this many times. You really didn't have to come with me this far, you know…"

"Nonsense! I have to stay with Juudaime as much as possible!" Hayato exclaimed, concern in his voice. "What if someone attacks you while you're here? I'd be all the way in Italy! I need to be here to protect you, as your right-hand man!"

"I'm sorry, Hayato, but you can't," Tsuna pointed out. "Besides, you'd help me out more if you stayed in Italy and took care of things while I'm gone…"

Hayato immediately straightened up and looked at Tsuna admiringly, his eyes practically sparkling at the prospect of being able to serve his boss. "Of course! I'll make you proud, Juudaime! Just leave it to me!"

"Th-thanks, Hayato…"

He and the silver-haired bomber had met when they were both five, at the Vongola Mansion (Tsuna had just moved to Italy). Tsuna had turned the corner into his garden, humming a song that he had recently learned to himself, just in time to see Hayato accidentally toss his dynamite a little too closely to his person and freeze in the face of his incoming death. Tsuna had wasted no time in diving in to save the young Gokudera. Although they had managed to narrowly escape their ends, there was still damage, but Tsuna had taken the brunt of the blast. Ever since then, Tsuna and Hayato had been the best of friends.

And even after knowing Hayato for such a long time, Tsuna _still _wasn't used to the sudden mood changes and constant fawning from him.

"Tsuna-nii! Don't leave!"

Tsuna looked back in the direction of his private jet to see a small child in cow-patterned clothing lunging at him through the air with his arms held out. Tsuna was able to catch his young Lightning Guardian just in time. He held Lambo closely and whispered comfortingly, "Lambo, you know why I came here in the first place…"

"Lambo-san doesn't care! Lambo-san will do all of Tsuna-nii's paperwork if Tsuna-nii stays in Italy with Lambo-san!" Lambo sobbed, clinging to one of the arms around him. "Tsuna-nii doesn't have to go to school and live a normal life, anyway! Tsuna-nii is too smart and too special for that!"

Lambo had been sent to kill Reborn, the hitman training Tsuna to be a worthy Vongola Decimo, about seven months ago, which was an obviously suicidal mission. Of course, he had utterly failed (and had damaged the earphones Spanner and Shoichi had given Tsuna as a gift- it had been hard, living on the radio for the time of the repairs), but Tsuna had felt pity for the young Bovino and taken him in as his younger brother. And here he was, only five years of age and already Tsuna's trusted Lightning Guardian.

Tsuna patted the child's head lightly as he smiled sadly. "But I _want _to live a normal life, Lambo… this is my chance. It's hard being Vongola Decimo, you know. Besides, Okaa-san misses me, and I want to spend some time with her…"

"No! Lambo-san wants Tsuna-nii to stay with Lambo-san!" Lambo cried, flailing in Tsuna's arms.

"L-Lambo!" Tsuna yelped, nearly dropping the Bovino as he accidentally swiped at the brunet's left ear in his antics. "St-stop! You're going to make my earbud fall out!"

Lambo quickly stopped struggling and fell silent, knowing how important the earbud was to his Tsuna-nii. As Hayato took Lambo from Tsuna's arms (muttering 'Ahoshi' as he did so), Tsuna firmly put his earbud back in its proper place and listened.

"_Familia – Among the limited connections, the people who are part of your life~  
Familia – The people who always fill up your cell phone's recent calls list for you~"_

Tsuna sighed with relief. The earphones had been special gifts to the brunet from Shoichi and Spanner, and Tsuna never took them off. He relied on music to change from his 'Vongola Decimo' mode to his 'HDW mode' and many more. He practically _lived _on music. In fact, music had been the one of the only things that had him from dying from the sheer pressure of his life (along with his Famiglia).

Snapping out of his thoughts, he turned to the pair of Mist Guardians who had just walked up to him from the jet.

"Kufufu~" Mukuro chuckled. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, don't do anything stupid that would cause my body to be damaged."

"It's _my _body, Mukuro! And you're not going to be possessing it anytime soon, I can promise you that!" Tsuna grumbled, but he knew that the Mist Guardian did care… he just had a funny way of showing it.

"Bossu…" Chrome murmured from beside Mukuro with a sad look on her face. "We're going to miss you."

Mukuro Rokudo was vengeful, powerful, and intent on taking over Tsuna's body. Chrome Dokuro was timid, caring, and always tried to do the right thing. How the two managed to be together without causing some kind of 'polar opposites' disturbance, Tsuna would never know. But after he had saved Mukuro from Vendicare and given Chrome surgery to replace her missing organs (both when he had been eleven), the two had become his irreplaceable Mist Guardians.

"I'll miss you all, too." Tsuna hugged Chrome and lowered his voice. "Chrome. Since you're the most level-headed of everyone here, I want you to make sure that everyone is normal, even while I'm gone. Well, at least normal for us."

Chrome nodded. "Of course, Bossu." As Tsuna let go of her, she inquired, "Do you plan to get a Rain or Cloud Guardian during your stay here?"

Tsuna bit his lip. "I don't know… I don't want to drag innocent people into the dangerous mafia world, but Reborn will definitely make me do it, anyway… we'll see."

Chrome nodded again in understanding, knowing the Vongola Decimo's policy about such things. "I'm sure you'll find the perfect ones, Bossu," she told him surely. "I just know it."

This didn't make Tsuna feel any better, but he gave her a weak smile anyway, showing that he was grateful for her faith in him.

"_Sawada! Wait for Kyoko, Haru, and I to the extreme!"_

Tsuna winced at the loud voice of his Sun Guardian, which had drowned out the sound of his music for a moment. "Qu-quiet down, Onii-san…" he mumbled half-heartedly, scratching his head awkwardly as he saw Kyoko, Haru, and Ryohei approach him.

Kyoko and Ryohei were brother and sister by blood and were as different as Mukuro was from Chrome, but Ryohei showed it by being overly protective of his younger sister. Haru was Kyoko's childhood friend. The three had been recruited into the Vongola after Tsuna had protected them from a gang of bullies in Namimori. Well, Reborn had done all of the work, since Tsuna had only been four back then. Ryohei had become his older-brother figure and his Sun Guardian, while Kyoko and Haru (after much arguing) had been allowed to carry out minor spy missions.

"Tsuna-kun…"

"Tsuna-san…"

Tsuna pulled them into a hug. "I'll make sure to eat cake when I feel down."

Kyoko and Haru both giggled in spite of themselves and returned the embrace. Ryohei ruffled Tsuna's hair, pushing the shorter boy down. "_Sawada! Remember to work out to the extreme!_"

"I-I'll try to, Onii-san…" Tsuna politely removed the boxer's hand off of his head. He didn't want to be any shorter than he already was.

"_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends… thank you for your love~  
Even though I'm so tiny, even though I'm a coward, you still love me a lot~"_

Tsuna firmly grabbed his luggage's handle and surveyed his friends. They all had the same expression on their faces, and he was sure that he did too. He cleared his throat and smiled, "Well, I'll be leaving now."

And he walked away from them, hearing them cry out his name and their good-byes.

"_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends… I love you so much~  
Their warm voices have always gently pushed me forward~  
For meeting me… thank you~"_

* * *

Tsuna wrung his hands nervously. He had arrived at his old house in Namimori about an hour ago and _still _hadn't found the courage to knock. He was currently settling for pacing in front of the house, trying to think of some way that he could knock on the door without actually _knocking _on the door.

_Come on, Tsuna! _He scolded himself. _You've fought in mafia battles, handled the most tense of meetings, and survived through Reborn's 'training', yet you can't knock on your own house's door! Don't be a coward and do it!_

Then he was pacing again, his panic rising once more.

Thirty minutes passed, and he gathered up his strength and stopped in front of the door again. _You can do this, Tsuna!_

He was just lifting a quavering finger and poking the door shakily (as if that would do a thing) when the door opened to reveal an all-too familiar housewife with short brown-hair and a happy atmosphere around her.

"Tsu-Tsu-kun…?"

* * *

**Luna: The song used in the beginning is 'Familia', the fifteenth ending of Katekyo Hitman Reborn! by Artland. It's the English translation, though… just so you guys could understand it~**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: This chapter took you long enough. How long have you been writing this now? About a month?**

**Luna: …I know… QAQ**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: Work harder, herbivore. Aren't you going to write three more chapters for this story by the end of the month?**

**Luna: …yes… YES. *hurries back to Microsoft Word***

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: Review, herbivores. All criticism is welcomed. And again, PM **Exile Wrath **for plotbunnies.**

**Luna: *calling back* Hey! What are you doing here, anyway? This fic is for Male!Hibari!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: *smirks***

**Luna: You didn't answer my question!**


	2. Tadaima

**Luna: To **belfranieXS**, yeah, that's it for now… but there will be three more chapters by the end of this month, if I work hard enough~ =w=b Thanks! To **KitsuneNaru**, sorry for the confusion. 'Kyoya Fem Hibari' is me. But I assure you, it will be Male!Hibari in this fic. In all my fanfics, I state when I will be using genderbent characters. To **mangopudding**, I'm not sure if Xanxus will be in this story, but perhaps he will be. To **Vikky Plushie**, the other Guardians will still play their part, don't worry~ ^_^ And yes, 'smooth' **_**is **_**the right word. To **Namonaihito**, I love it too~! And shhhh! Why did you spoil the story!? =w= Thank you very much! To **Lexie-chan94**, thank you! *bows* To **Sylvia-san**, shh! Don't say anything else! Your accurate predicting skills cannot ruin the story for other readers! ^_^ To **janeseA**, here's the next chapter!**

**Yikes… this fanfic has gotten the best reception so far. O_O Eight reviews, thirteen favorites, and twenty-eight followers for the first chapter! *smiles* Thanks, everyone! This really motivates me to write more!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: (DISCLAIMER) Luna does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Tsu-Tsu-kun…?"

Tsuna withdrew his finger immediately, wearing an expression that could only be compared to a deer caught in the headlights, and involuntarily took a step back. Mother and son stared at each other for a long moment until Tsuna finally found his voice and said in a strangled voice, "…O…kaa…san?"

Nana's eyes welled up with tears. "It really is you, Tsu-kun…" And she threw herself at him through the doorway and wrapped her arms around his body, crying with happiness.

Tsuna fell back onto the hard ground from the weight of his mother. He winced, feeling the dull pain from the fall, but he smiled all the same as he returned the hug. "Okaa-san…" Suddenly, his brown eyes widened in shock. "Wait, how did you recognize me?" He and Nana had only been able to keep in touch through phone calls, and the last image the woman should have had of him was of his five-year-old self as he left for Italy.

"Of course I knew it was you!" Nana exclaimed. "It may have been nine years since we last met, but a mother knows her son and that's that." She giggled through her tears. "And you've got the same brown eyes, spiky hair, and the cutest facial features…"

"Don't call me cute, Okaa-san," Tsuna grumbled in a mock hurt tone. "I'm a boy, not a girl!" He _was _getting a bit sick of being mistaken for the opposite sex.

"But you're such a _cute _boy!" Nana protested, wiping her eyes and holding Tsuna out at arm's length to survey him. "You really have grown, though, Tsu-kun! Look at you! Growing up in Italy has really changed you… although you're still a little on the short side…"

"Ch-changed me?" Tsuna stammered nervously, pushing the 'short' comment aside in his panic. _Does she know about the Vongola? Did I accidentally say something wrong or slip up during our last phone call? Does she notice any injuries from mafia fights that I might have forgotten to cover up?_

Nana tilted her head thoughtfully, oblivious to her son's inner turmoil. "Well, you seem… older? Not just age, though…" She shook her head. "Ah, it doesn't really matter. Perhaps Timoteo did something. And there is the fact that the last time I saw you, you were still five…" She stood up and beamed. "The important thing is that my Tsu-kun is back after nine years! We have to celebrate!"

"O-okaa-san, you don't have to-"

"I'll cook a big dinner tonight! After having Italian food for so long, you should be able to eat your mother's cooking again! We can't have you forgetting the taste!"

"-cook… for me…" Tsuna trailed of lamely and sighed. _I probably shouldn't tell her that the chefs at the mansion gave me all kinds of food, not just Italian… ah well; I missed Okaa-san's homemade food, anyway. _He grinned in anticipation, getting to his feet and following Nana into the house...

…where he nearly tripped over a phone.

"Okaa-san, why is there a _phone _lying in the middle of the hallway!?"

Nana turned around, confused. "A phone- oh! The reason I opened the door in the first place was because our neighbor called and told me there was a creeper pacing in front of my house."

Tsuna choked. _Wait- what!?_

"I must have dropped the phone when I saw you…" Nana continued. She picked it up and frowned slightly. "Say, Tsu-kun; did you happen to see a suspicious person while you-"

"N-not at all!" Tsuna stuttered, flushed. "L-let's just go in the kitchen, Okaa-san…"

* * *

Tsuna sat awkwardly at the table in the small kitchen, his suitcase propped up next to him and a cup of tea in his hands. Nana was humming as she prepared to cook, her back turned towards him. Tsuna took a tiny sip of his tea, which sounded louder than it actually was in the tense silence. He considered starting a conversation, but he wasn't quite sure how.

Thankfully, Nana beat him to it. "Tsu-kun, in your ear…" she began, pulling out various ingredients and tools. "…is that one of the earbuds your friends Shoichi-kun and Spanner-kun gave you?"

"Huh? Oh, umm, yeah," Tsuna replied with a start, not having expected the question. "I've got the other one in my suitcase." He paused, bracing himself for what he was about to say. "Erm, Okaa-san… you _do _remember what I told you about my music, right…?"

Nana picked up a knife and neatly chopped up some onions and mushrooms. "Yes, I did; and I must admit that I have mixed feelings about the whole thing." Tsuna could hear the frown in her voice. "Why must you rely on music to be who you aren't, Tsu-kun?"

Tsuna winced and mumbled somewhat lamely, "W-well, the music really helps… I mean, it's… easier?"

"Does that mean you can go without your music?" Nana questioned, cracking eggs now. "Is it absolutely necessary for songs to be played 24/7?"

Tsuna fidgeted. "I can manage without music around certain people…"

Nana sighed, pausing in her cooking and turning to face her nervous son. "Listen, Tsu-kun- I fully realize that you depend on your music very much. I'm just worried about you, you know. What if something happens and you're not able to have your music by your side? I don't want you fully reliant on those songs."

Tsuna averted his gaze. "I know, Okaa-san… I'm sorry."

Seeing that Tsuna didn't feel any better at that, Nana added with a slightly more cheerful tone, "Well, if that's how you've lived for the past nine years, then I can't very well expect you to change just like that, can I?" She walked around the table and ruffled Tsuna's hair fondly. "I'm not trying to pressure you into fixing your habits, just… try to work on it, okay?"

Tsuna smiled weakly at the gesture. "Thanks, Okaa-san. That means a lot." _If she had forcefully taken my earbuds away, I don't know what I would do! _

As if struck by a sudden idea, Nana clapped her hands. "I know! Why don't you help me with dinner? It'd be nice to be able to cook with my son after so long… not that you were able to when you left of course. You wouldn't have been able to lift a pan~" She smiled. "You were still so young back then…"

Tsuna mirrored his mother's smile. "I would be happy to help, Okaa-san!"

"Great!" Nana walked over to the closet, rummaged in it for a bit, then came back with a spare apron in her arms. "Here you go! You're going to need it- we're making Salisbury steak~"

Tsuna visibly brightened up. "Salisbury steak? That's-"

"-one of your favorites, I know," Nana giggled, clearly enjoying her son's obvious happiness. "That's why I'm making it!"

"Thank you so much, Okaa-san!" Tsuna suddenly heard his stomach growl loudly, and he turned slightly red in embarrassment.

Nana laughed. "We better hurry!"

Tying the apron on, Tsuna followed his mother to the counter. He was grateful for the change of subject, but he had a feeling that it wasn't the last time it would come up, whether with her or someone else. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his head. _Don't think about that right now! What matters at the moment is that you're home._

* * *

"_I saw the sunset in the east~  
__I saw the bees swim in the blue sea~"_

Tsuna yawned and stretched as his music turned on, acting as his alarm clock. He blinked his eyes open and looked around, a bit confused. _This isn't my bedroom… _Normally, he woke up in his oversized and overdecorated bed in his grand room in the Vongola Mansion. However, he was now in a much smaller bed in a rather simple room in what looked like a suburban home.

_Oh, right… _Tsuna remembered, shaking the sleepiness out of his head. _I arrived in Namimori yesterday. _He suddenly grinned, relieved that he wasn't going to be waking up in a fancy home for a while. _Finally, some normality! _

"_I saw the trees up in the sky~  
I saw the rainbow in the ocean~"_

He sat up from his bed, which fit him perfectly (Nana hadn't replaced any of the furniture since he had last left- he was now extremely glad that he had demanded a 'big boy bed' when he was younger), and walked over to the set of clothes his mother had set on the desk in the corner of the room.

Tsuna held up the Namimori Middle boy's uniform and looked over it. _Okaa-san _did _say that she was enrolling me in Namimori Middle, but how did she do it overnight? _He shrugged to himself. _I guess she has her ways. _The brunet changed into the uniform and surveyed himself in the mirror for a moment before running downstairs.

"_Is it crazy? Or is it just hazy~?  
Don't be queasy, let's just take it easy~"_

"Good morning, Okaa-san!"

"Good morning, Tsu-kun!" Nana looked up from the toaster to glance at the clock. "Ah, you better eat quickly- you'll be late for school!"

Tsuna followed his mother's gaze and blanched as he saw the time. "What!? I must have set my music to turn on at the wrong time!" He grabbed a piece of toast with butter spread over it and the empty bag Nana had given him (he would fill it with the textbooks he needed at school later). Running out of the house, he called, "I'm leaving!"

"Have a good day at school!"

"_Is it dummy? Or is it just rummy~?  
Don't be crummy… just a joke~!"_

It didn't take too long for Tsuna to arrive at the gates of his new school. _So, this is Namimori Middle… _He noticed that the campus was utterly empty and panicked slightly. _Shoot- I'm late for my first day! _He was just about to dash into the building when a cold male voice that sent shivers up his spine stopped him in his tracks.

"Herbivore. For being two minutes late for class, I'll bite you to death."

* * *

**Luna: I finished another chapter! Yes!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: Good job, herbivore.**

**Luna: The song used in this chapter is the English translation of 'Funny Sunny Day' by SxOxU, which is the seventh opening song for Katekyo Hitman Reborn!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: Kindly review. All criticism is welcomed.**


	3. Encounters

**Luna: To **Lexie-chan94**, Tsuna hasn't seen Nana for nine years, so he is expected to be more nervous than normal. ^_^ To **NaturalSam14**, I'm glad to hear that you're interested. And you're welcome: apparently, many others were confused as well. *bows* Thank you very much; I appreciate all reviews! Oh, and I don't have an exact updating schedule. I just write and update whenever I can. To **Final Syai Lunar Generation, **thank you so much~ Yes, I was cracking up as I wrote that part. XD To **Love Chronical**, I hope this chapter clears up the little confusion you might have. If it doesn't, well… I'm not doing a very good job with writing. XD To **Exile Wrath**, exactly! XD And I **_**will **_**see to it that I keep that favor~ To **Soul Vrazy**, thanks! ^_^ To **aprildiamondil**, here's the next chapter! To **eroxouji**, finally? It's only the first few chapters… XD**

**I'm still in shock from the feedback. I'm not used to this much… I kept getting alerts of favorites and follows in my inbox. Thank you, everyone! *grins***

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: (DISCLAIMER) Luna does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Herbivore. For being two minutes late for class, I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna whipped around to see a rather tall, black-haired boy with a black gakuran draped around his shoulders, a small red armband with the kanji for 'fuuki' written in yellow on it pinned to the left sleeve. The brunet had barely managed to notice the male's appearance, having to instead dodge the jab the boy had sent his way.

"Who are you?" Tsuna questioned warily, one hand stuffed in his pocket, ready to take out his mittens at any time, while the other was positioned by his earbud to change the song playing.

His attacker narrowed the sharp, gray eyes that looked as steely and dangerous as the pair of tonfa he held in his hands, which were what had been used to punch Tsuna. "Hn. Interesting," he stated, settling into a battle stance and completely ignoring Tsuna's question. "An herbivore that managed to avoid my attack easily and is not running away…"

Tsuna quickly switched the song and slipped his mittens on. His Hyper Intuition was telling him that this new face was not an assassin sent to kill him- in fact, it seemed that he wasn't affiliated with the mafia at all- but that didn't guarantee his safety. Tsuna didn't need his Hyper Intuition to know that this clearly older boy had every notion to fight and defeat him… as painfully as he wanted. "You didn't answer my question," Tsuna pointed out as the appropriate song began to play.

"_Boys and girls be ambitious~  
Boys and girls keep it real~  
Boys and girls be ambitious~  
Boys and girls keep it real~"_

The other boy glanced at Tsuna's woolen mittens with a look that could be described as either amused or curious before launching himself at the brunet. "Herbivore, show me what you can do," he ordered coldly, punching at the smaller boy with one of his tonfa, only to have the weapon stopped in its tracks by a gloved hand. The black-haired teenager raised an eyebrow at the sight of the changed accessories, the Dying Will Flame burning brightly on Tsuna's forehead, orange eyes that had previously been brown, and the fact that his attack had been stopped.

_He's strong! _Tsuna thought as he strained to keep the attack at a standstill. He and his opponent pushed at each other as hard as they could. _I can't let my guard down!_

The raven-haired male pulled his tonfa back and began attacking Tsuna with what seemed like an endless stream of punches. Tsuna evaded or blocked almost every jab, and even when one landed on its target (Tsuna), the Vongola Decimo would take the bite of the steel weapon without so much as a blink and send a strong blow right back at the taller boy.

"_Boys and girls be ambitious~  
Boys and girls keep it real~  
Boys and girls be ambitious~  
Boys and girls keep it real~"_

Tsuna didn't envelop his X-Gloves with Sky Flames like he normally did, fearing that he might seriously hurt the other boy if he did, so he was sticking to simple glove-to-tonfa combat. However, due to the nearly overwhelming strength of his opponent, it was hard for Tsuna to restrain himself from letting his Flames free. Especially since the boy in front of him kept increasing the power of his attacks. _Where does he find the strength to make each strike more powerful than the last!? _Tsuna exclaimed mentally. _If it keeps going like this, I'll be pushed to use my Sky Flames! _He bit his lip as he ducked quickly. _Or I could just run away…_

But the tonfa-wielding male wasn't giving him the slightest chance to escape from the fight. Whenever Tsuna retreated, the other would charge without hesitation. Whenever Tsuna flipped over the black-haired boy's head, he would whack the brunet with his tonfa, not bothering to turn around. Whenever Tsuna simply sprinted away, his opponent would block his path and continue to fight him intensely.

"_Because of you I've escaped my undone life~  
Though you look like a boy~  
And you can't grow up~  
But there are times you can't act like a child~"_

Spurred on by the quick pace of the song, Tsuna took a gloved fist back, gathering all his strength into the upcoming punch. Through his concentration, he could see the black-haired boy do the same with his tonfa. Then the two simultaneously launched their right arms at each other, meeting in the middle with a firm, crashing sound.

Tsuna's orange eyes widened with the other boy's gray pair as the two felt the force of the impact send wild vibrations into their bodies, causing them to fly away from each other. Tsuna landed in a crouch, while his opponent somehow landed neatly on his feet. This made the black-haired teenager look even taller to Tsuna.

"_In this world where everyone is rushing in a hurry~  
We stopped upon seeing that shooting star~"_

The two boys stared intently at each other for a long, drawn-out moment before the older of the two lowered his tonfa and remarked reluctantly, "…not bad for an herbivore."

Tsuna let go of a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding and replied evenly, "You weren't bad yourself…?" The Vongola Decimo looked at him, unsure of how to address him.

His former opponent turned around and began walking away, his black gakuran waving slightly. "Hibari Kyoya, Leader of the Disciplinary Committee. You should get to class; you're already very late for your first day…" Hibari smirked a little. "…Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna stood up and blinked, the Dying Will Flame on his forehead flickering out of existence. Then he gaped. "W-wait- how-"

"I read all the student records, which includes the information of new students, herbivore. Now get to class, before I bite you to death."

After the second reminder, Tsuna paled, stuffed his mittens back into his pockets, and hurriedly ran to the building, but not before calling, "Pleasure to meet you, Hibari-san!"

"Hn."

"_Now if we'll find only one thing to believe in~  
With that one thing we can become stronger~  
So I'll take your trembling hand and bring you with me~  
And we'll grow stronger by walking against the wind~"_

* * *

Tsuna slowed as he approached the classroom marked '1-A' and swiftly changed songs once more. _Remember the plan, _Tsuna told himself. _You need to be 'Dame-Tsuna' to lower the chances of mafia-related incidents happening and for a good façade just in case. No matter how demeaning it is, you have to do it… unless you want something bad to happen. _He took a deep breath and knocked on the wall beside him. The brunet heard the room go quiet and the teacher ask, "Who is it?"

"_This dancing, fluttering happiness~  
This trembling warmth~"_

"A-ano… I'm the new student," Tsuna stammered 'nervously'. "I-is this the right classroom…?"

The teacher frowned. "You're late- we were expecting you twenty minutes ago."

_Did my fight with Hibari-san really last that long!? _Tsuna thought in shock before stuttering, "I-I'm very sorry! I was delayed by Hibari-san…"

The teacher noticeably shuddered before saying, "Okay, then- why don't you come in here and introduce yourself… erm…" He looked at a piece of paper on his desk. "…Sawada-san?"

Tsuna nodded and took a step over the threshold, making sure that his foot caught on the door so that he would lose his balance. He stumbled a bit before falling to the floor. There was a bit of chuckling from the class as Tsuna stood up, rubbing his head with a fake wince (for the first time, he thanked Reborn for making him go through all those pain tolerance 'lessons') before bowing. "H-hello! My n-name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, b-but you can call me Tsuna! I-it's nice to meet all of you, and I h-hope we can get along…"

"_No matter how I struggled~  
Like always, I couldn't catch it~"_

"If you're done, you can take the seat…" The teacher pointed at the only unoccupied seat left in the room, one in the back next to the window. "…over there, next to Yamamoto Takeshi. Yamamoto-san, please raise your hand." An athletic-looking boy with spiky black hair, brown eyes, and an easygoing smile cheerily held his hand up, and Tsuna hurried over to him, tripping over someone's outstretched foot this time.

Luckily, Yamamoto steadied him in time. "Oi, are you okay?" he asked with concern.

"Mm," Tsuna nodded gratefully. Then, as a bonus, he added, "This happens to me a lot, so I'm used to it."

"_No matter how hard I sketched~  
Like always I couldn't draw it~"_

Yamamoto laughed. "Really? Wow, you're pretty clumsy, aren't you?" Tsuna simply smiled and sat down at his desk, having decided that he liked Yamamoto. He acted and looked like a stereotype Japanese teenage boy (and he seriously needed some more normality in his life), and when he had made that 'clumsy' remark, it was not said in any negative fashion at all. The brunet's opinion of Yamamoto went up even more when he commented, "You seem like a nice guy! Want to hang out with me during lunch? You don't have any friends at the school yet, right? I could be your friend!"

Tsuna grinned happily at the prospect of having a friend. "Really? I-I would love to be your friend!"

Yamamoto wore an even bigger grin. "Great! Pleased to make friends with you, Tsuna!"

* * *

Tsuna walked lazily down the hallway towards the staircase, lunch in hand. As soon as the class had been released for lunch, some people from the baseball team had dragged Yamamoto (who, Tsuna gathered, was an important asset to their team) over for a quick meeting, and they had agreed to meet on the roof later.

As he went up the stairs that led to the rooftop, the brunet thought about his encounter with the Leader of the Disciplinary Committee that morning. _I probably shouldn't have fought him at all, _Tsuna moaned internally. _So much for keeping a low profile! I've blown it in front of one person already- and on my first day, too!_

Tsuna sighed resignedly and pushed the door to the rooftop open. He was just about to plop down and open the lunch his mom had made for him when he heard a bird singing a tune.

"_The green that trails Namimori~"_

Tsuna watched with interest as a small canary descended to the roof, chirping what sounded like the Namimori Middle School Anthem. But when it landed on the finger of a person Tsuna hadn't noticed was there before, his eyes went wide. "Hibari-san…?" He blinked. "Is that _your _bird?"

Said prefect turned his head to the side and stared at him coolly from where he was lying down. "Hn. Herbivore." He glanced at the canary and replied stiffly, "Yes, Hibird is mine, but…" He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to eat lunch," Tsuna explained cautiously, slowly sitting down on the other side of the roof and opening his bento box.

Hibari sat up and let the yellow fluff ball of a bird fly around the roof freely. Then he fixed Tsuna with a fierce gaze. "Herbivore, why did you act so useless during your class? You were quite steady on your feet during our fight, and you calculated every move I made accurately, but as soon as you entered that classroom you were completely herbivorous."

Tsuna groaned silently. _Oh, why didn't I remember to put up the façade as soon as I got to school? Wait, how does he know what happened in class, anyway? _The brunet mentally facepalmed. _…never mind, I don't want to know._ He looked Hibari straight in the eye and stated, "I have my reasons."

Hibari's glare grew more intense. "Which is your true side? Are you carnivorous or herbivorous?" After a bit of silence, he pulled out a single tonfa and added threateningly, "If you don't answer, I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna grumbled at the reminder of their battle, still a little miffed about slipping up, but he answered firmly, "I was acting in the classroom, if that's what you mean."

The skylark's gray eyes were cutting into Tsuna's brown pair now. The two held each other's gazes for about half a minute before Hibari let out a 'hn' and laid back down again, closing his eyes in the warm sun. Tsuna let out a silent sigh of relief and resumed eating his lunch.

* * *

**Luna: I completed the third chapter in two days!...but I didn't do my English essay. =w= I should probably get to that right now…**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: Procrastinating herbivore...**

**Luna: ^_^' Ahahaha… anyway, the song used during Hibari and Tsuna's battle was the English translation of 'Boys and Girls' by LM.C. and is the second opening song in Katekyo Hitman Reborn! The song used when Tsuna first entered the classroom was the English translation of 'Suberidai', which is sung by Mori Tsubasa and is the ninth ending song of Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And if you didn't know what Hibird was chirping, well… I don't what to say, since I even said what it was in the chapter. -_-**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: It was the first verse of the Namimori Middle School Anthem, translated into English.**

**Luna: Please review! All criticism is welcomed~!**


	4. Dame

**Luna: To **Exile Wrath**, mm, I'm planning on somehow strengthening my fight scene writing skills. ^_^ To **Lexie-chan94**, yep~! To **Love Chronical**, good! And yes, teachers should see that students can do other things than learn from them… =w= To **Final Syai Lunar Generation**, …that is a long review, which I love~ Especially the excitement I can practically feel flowing from you! Yes, Tsuna and Hibari are awesome. Enough said. ^_^ To **Soul Vrazy**, I don't really have a certain number that I'm aiming for. The more the better is all, since it lets me know just how many people think this fanfic is worthy enough to be followed~ To **shanagi95**, we'll see! (…even though I'm the one actually writing this story… =w=) To **Raevi**, here's an update for you! To **Swanfrost15**, I managed to finish my essay! *fistpumps* Thank you very much!**

**I'm sorry that this chapter took longer than the others did… the past few weeks were just essay after test after quiz after essay after homework after packet after essay. Did I mention essay? -_-' I tried to get this done as soon as possible (with a _lot _of help from **Exile Wrath**), so enjoy~!**

**Kyoya Fem Hibari: (DISCLAIMER) Luna does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any of its characters.**

* * *

Tsuna was halfway done with his bento the door to the rooftop opened, revealing the baseball-playing teenager the brunet had been waiting for. His mouth being full, Tsuna merely nodded in greeting at Yamamoto, who walked over to Tsuna, waved a hand slightly, and grinned apologetically. "Yo, Tsuna! Sorry I'm late; it took longer than I thought, since I had to greet some new members…"

Tsuna waved his apology away, saying with a smile, "Don't worry about it; just sit down and eat before lunch ends."

Yamamoto complied, sitting next to the brunet with an even wider grin and opening his own lunch. Tsuna shot a glance at the silent prefect behind Yamamoto's back and decided it would be best to inform the baseball player of Hibari's presence _before _the skylark woke up and started a fight.

However, it seemed that Hibari was either easily awoken or he hadn't been asleep at all (maybe even both), because just as Tsuna opened his mouth, Hibari snapped his eyes open and sat up. His cold gaze caused Yamamoto to turn around and exclaim cheerfully, "Ah, Hibari! I didn't see you there! Were you there the whole time?"

Tsuna noted dryly that Hibari had a bad habit of ignoring other people's questions as the prefect darkly growled, "Herbivores, you are crowding…" He leapt from the higher roof and stalked over to Tsuna and Yamamoto.

The former raised an eyebrow while the latter simply laughed happily. "Maa, maa, Hibari; we aren't really crowding, since there's only two of us. It's just like they say; 'Two's a company, three's a crowd,' y'know?"

Hibari grunted in response and eyed the two other students, his gaze lingering on Tsuna as if to inquire why he was hanging out with the easygoing baseball player. Tsuna just shrugged and gave a small smile, slightly curious about the whole 'crowding' issue, but he figured that it was just another 'Hibari-thing' and let it go for now.

"Oh! Tsuna, this is Hibari Kyoya," Yamamoto introduced. "He's the Leader of the Disciplinary Committee, and he's our senior by two years." He grinned. "Hibari protects and loves Namimori Middle and, as the name of his Committee says, disciplines wrongdoers. He even goes out and patrols Namimori once in a while."

Tsuna nodded, storing the information about Hibari's obsession for a later time. "I know; I met Hibari-san this morning, Yamamoto…"

"You did?" Yamamoto blinked. "Oh, I remember that you said something about being delayed by Hibari when you came to class late…"

"Mm," Tsuna confirmed. A split second later, he ducked to avoid the tonfa that had been hurtling towards his head, feeling the wind it produced ruffle his hair. "Hibari-san, what was that for?"

The prefect looked at the brunet with a cold expression. "You were talking about the Disciplinary Committee President so casually as if he weren't standing right in front of you. For not showing proper respect and being rude, you-" Hibari smirked. "-must fight me."

Tsuna cursed inwardly. _So, he addresses people as 'herbivores', 'bites people to death', runs a Disciplinary Committee, enjoys fighting… and wants battle me. Why must he make things harder for me!? _"I-I'm sorry, Hibari-san, b-but I'd rather n-not," he stuttered as he backed away slowly, since Yamamoto was standing next to him. "I-" He nearly didn't dodge the second tonfa thrown at him.

"I expect you to fight me tomorrow morning, herbivore," the skylark continued, walking over to his weapons. He picked up his thrown tonfa elegantly and lazily walked back to his former spot on the higher portion of the roof. "And if you're going to eat your lunch here, then do it quietly, herbivores. If you disturb the peace, I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna had a feeling that he was going to be hearing that phrase a lot.

* * *

After lunch, classes resumed and Tsuna continued to act the part of 'Dame-Tsuna'. He wasn't quite sure if Yamamoto had even noticed him dodge Hibari's tonfa on the rooftop during lunch _or _recognized that Hibari had not-so-subtly shown some interest in fighting him, since the baseball player hadn't talked to him any differently than before (if he truly hadn't noticed anything, then Yamamoto was taking oblivious to a whole new level).

Tsuna didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing. Did he really want to have to act in front of his first friend unrelated to the dangerous world of the Mafia? In the middle of daydreaming in class, Tsuna froze. _Oh no… becoming friends with me, the Vongola Decimo, could drag Yamamoto into the Mafia! Why didn't I think of that before!?_

The brunet mentally berated himself and headdesked. _I'll just make sure that he doesn't get involved in anything Mafia-related… if I can keep Yamamoto out of danger and continue being his friend that way, then I'll do it for as long as I can._

Then he remembered with a jolt that Reborn wanted him to find both a Rain Guardian and a Cloud Guardian during his stay in Namimori. That memory shoved him even further into the depths of despair, since Tsuna was _very _reluctant to recruit anyone into the Vongola. To keep his mind off of that, he tried recalling the descriptions of the respective jobs.

_The Rain Guardian is the holder of the Vongola Rain Ring. This Guardian needs to be calm and calming, not panicking during times of danger and solving any problems there may be. The Rain Guardian needs 'to become a blessed shower that settles conflict and washes everything away.'_

_The Cloud Guardian is the holder of the Vongola Cloud Ring. This powerful yet lone Guardian needs have a preference to stay distant from others but also has to step in when allies are in danger. The Cloud Guardian's role is 'to be the aloof, drifting Cloud that protects the Family from an independent standpoint, and whom nothing can ever bind.'_

Tsuna felt his Hyper Intuition nagging him as he went over the information, but it wasn't being very clear. Irked by his instinct's persistence, he didn't notice when the teacher called his name. Repeatedly. Yamamoto had to shake the brunet to finally snap him out of his thoughts.

"H-huh? What?" Tsuna quickly looked at Yamamoto. "What is it, Yamamoto?"

"You weren't paying attention," Yamamoto explained with a smile, completely oblivious to the irritation and frustration of the teacher.

"Ah? Oh, I-I'm sorry, sensei!" Tsuna stood up and bowed hastily. Not wanting to suffer punishment of any kind, he brandished one of his most effective yet nonlethal weapons as he straightened up again- the doe-eyes, which he had been able to use to his advantage one too many times.

The teacher, despite being male, couldn't help but admit to himself that it was simply adorable. Thus, he decided to lightly lecture the student instead of punishing him. "Sawada-san, I know that this is your first day here, but that doesn't give you an excuse to daydream and force the teacher to try to get your attention for five minutes…"

Tsuna bowed again. "I-I know! I a-apologize, sensei! C-could you please tell me w-why were y-you calling on m-me…?"

The teacher sighed and stiffly gestured at the question on the board. "Please answer this question, Sawada-san…"

Tsuna glanced at the board that read, _'_150 – x + 58 = 205'. Knowing that he would have to intentionally get the simple problem wrong, he 'hesitantly' mumbled, "Umm… is it 7?"

"Wrong; the correct answer is '3'. You may sit down, Sawada-san."

Some students raised an eyebrow, thinking that the new student was of the no-good sort. He had already been sighted tripping on thin air several times, and if he did something like this again, then he would probably be earning a nickname soon. A few girls sighed, mourning the waste of such a cute guy.

Tsuna sighed in his seat. After so many years of being raised to be a model Mafia Don worthy enough to inherit the Vongola, getting things like this wrong was so… heartbreaking, almost. Though that probably wasn't the right word, but inside he was crying. _Why did I choose the 'dame' identity of all the disguises I could have chosen? _he wept inwardly.

Yamamoto just watched in amusement as he newfound friend sulked for no apparent reason. _This guy is pretty cool!_ he thought happily.

* * *

…_well. _That _was certainly a… memorable first day of school, _Tsuna thought wearily, finally stepping off of Namimori Middle campus. He hadn't realized what a price he would have to pay in order to enjoy being in a normal school, but it was all worth it.

Standing in front of the campus gates with the school building behind him, he pondered for a moment aloud. "What should I do now… Okaa-san is probably cooking up another welcoming home feast for me and may try to get me out of the house so she can finish…"

As other students filtered past him, Tsuna put his fist to his palm. "I know! Reborn said that I should always know the area I am in, just in case anything happens! I'll explore the town!"

Indecisively, he wandered to the left, headed towards the commercial district of Namimori, not sure of what exactly his purpose was. _It seems to be easy to get lost_, he surmised as he melted into the crowd, dodging elbows and little kids walking underfoot.

Namimori wasn't a backwards town, by all means. The only problem was that it didn't have that large of a population to boast of it. However, with the CEDEF laying a protective claim on Namimori, it wasn't entirely an uncommon site to see Italians, Russians, or Chinese wandering the streets of one of the safest cities in the world (not that anyone not in the underground knew _that_). Now, hence the influx of Europeans, fashion and technology in Namimori were far from advanced. They were more on the verge of 'theoretical design made real'.

Tsuna lingered at the window of a large electronics store, examining a pair of new-model headphones from _Shouichi & Spanner_. The two genius inventors, having long ago been introduced into the Vongola, were obviously the makers of this brand. Tsuna touched his earphones affectionately. Looking up at the window itself however, he flipped back away from the shop suddenly as a tranquilizer dart embedded itself right where his arm had been pressed against the glass.

Turning on his heel, the young Decimo scanned the area warily, hand on his earbud to switch songs quickly. A sniper rifle appeared in the corner of his vision, and Tsuna's eyes widened as he dashed at the assassin.

_How dare he attack me where there is a possibility of attacking innocent civilians! _the brunet thought harshly, withdrawing his gloves from his pockets. However, when he neared the assassin (from an unknown family, he discerned), the man snatched a nearby, unknowing child and pressed a pistol to the little girl's temple.

The assassin didn't say anything, but the message was as clear as day. As the crowd scattered and the mother of the child shrieked in fear, Tsuna knew what the assassin wanted.

"Sacrifice yourself and come over quietly, or this child will not live another minute," he said in a guttural voice.

* * *

**Luna: …yeah. So. I'm sorry for the lateness! QAQ And thanks again to **Exile Wrath **for helping out... really, you're too kind!**

***crickets chirp***

**Luna: Oh yeah, Kyoya Fem Hibari went to go bite procrastination to death… please review! All criticism is welcomed! **


	5. Attack

**Luna: To **Lexie-chan94**, it's still a risk that Tsuna didn't want to take. But I feel bad for him, and I'm the one who put him in this situation in the first place… *slaps herself* To **Soul Vrazy**, yes, Hibari is male in this fanfiction. I'm sorry for the previous confusion! DX To **Final Syai Lunar Generation**, that's okay, you take your time reading~ As long as I know you're reading at all, I'm content! =w= I have to admit, I hate cliffhangers, but I also love using them. /shot Thank you very much! To **YueRyuu**, thanks! Here's an update (that took way too long to get out DX)! To **Raevi**, I know… why am I involving civilians!? DX Here's an update for you! To **Swanfrost15**, thanks~! To **Tiger723**, th-thank you very much! *flattered* Here you go! And I like your penname very much, for personal reasons! ^_^ To **pinkus-pyon**, why, thank you~! XD**

**And to my older sister, Merry Christmas! *hugs***

**Tsuna: (DISCLAIMER) Luna-san does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! or any of its characters! ^_^**

* * *

"Sacrifice yourself and come over quietly, or this child will not live another minute."

Tsuna glared at the assassin, letting him know just how pleased he was with his involvement of innocents. "Don't worry, ma'am," he told the girl's mother soothingly, slipping his gloves on and switching the song playing under the cover of talking. "Your daughter will be just fine. I'll make sure of it."

The assassin smirked. "The only way to ensure that is to turn yourself in, Vongola Decimo," he drawled, the pistol pressing harder against the girl's forehead. "And quickly."

The girl shivered, terrified. The two Mafioso held each other's stares, both seemingly calm and collected, but Tsuna's mind was racing as he restrained his Sky Flames from bursting to life. _Normally, I would blast him with the X-Burner, but that takes too long and my life isn't the only one at risk right now. If I race forward and knock the pistol out of hands or punch him, he'll still be able to easily pull the trigger and kill the girl, which I'm sure he has no qualms about. _His now-amber eyes were nervous. _Is turning myself in really the only thing I can do!?_

The assassin grinned, seeing defeat flash through the Vongola Decimo's eyes (which were curiously now orange, but his Dying Will Flame hadn't shown itself yet, so he was safe). "I see that you've come to the right decision."

Tsuna sighed bitterly and took a step forward-

"Herbivore. For causing chaos in Namimori, taking a child hostage, and attacking a Namimori Middle student…"

Tsuna gaped. _Wh-what's he doing here!? I thought Yamamoto said that he only patrols Namimori once in a while!_

"…I will bite you to death."

The assassin shuddered involuntarily at the icy and threatening tone of the newcomer. Steadying himself, he turned to his right. "Hm? Has another hostage presented itself-"

Hibari Kyoya's tonfa made contact with his jaw, knocking the assassin into the air as he lost his grip on both the girl and the pistol. Tsuna saw his unexpected yet much-welcomed chance as he leapt forward and grabbed the girl, bringing her over to her mother and telling them both without a second thought, "_Run_." The two females nodded in fright and fled as the assassin crashed to the cement a few feet away.

Tsuna turned to give his assailant a piece of his mind, allowing his Sky Flames to burst from his forehead and X-Gloves at last, but Hibari was already there, his foot grinding into his victim's stomach painfully. "Tell me why you saw fit to do what you did, herbivore," the skylark stated coldly, digging the heel of his shoe even harder.

"_S-sei un bastardo! _Agh!"

Hibari raised an eyebrow, unrelenting in his torture of the assassin. "Hn? What language is that?"

"It's Italian," Tsuna blurted out against his better judgment, quickly clapping his hands over his mouth right after the words came out.

Hibari glanced at him. "You understand Italian, herbivore? What did this herbivore just say?"

Tsuna paled, despite being in his Hyper Dying Will Mode. "Erm- he said- that is-"

"_Tell me, herbivore_."

"H-he just called you a-a… bastard…" Tsuna mumbled awkwardly.

Hibari's gray eyes flashed and he stomped down on his victim. He smirked at the yelp and writhing of pain as he stepped back, raising his tonfa. "Do you know who I am, herbivore?" Not waiting for an answer, he continued, "I am Hibari Kyoya, the Leader of the Disciplinary Committee, and the enforcer of Namimori."

_Self-proclaimed enforcer, _Tsuna added mentally.

"And you, herbivore, have to be disciplined for your actions in Namimori."

Tsuna watched Hibari thoroughly punish the assassin. _I'll interrogate him _after _Hibari-san is done, _he decided, wincing throughout the Mafioso's pummeling.

"_Oh mio caro Dio! P-per favore, signore, vi prego di smettere! Peeerrrrrchéééé!?"_

* * *

Ten minutes later, Hibari was satisfied. He stepped back as the screams died out, allowing Tsuna to approach the assassin. He grabbed the now-shivering man by his hair with his flaming glove and brought his face right in front of his. He hesitated and decided that, since Hibari already knew that he could speak and understand Italian, not to mention that the assassin was after _him_, there was no further harm in speaking openly. After all, the three were the only ones left in the area, everyone else having deserted the place.

"Who are you and who sent you to kill me?" Tsuna growled, getting straight to the point.

The assassin was finally able to speak Japanese coherently. "I-it was the Bovino Famiglia- I-I'm just a hired assassin! Th-they told me to kill the Vongola Decimo and then go back to Italy and el-eliminate the traitor, Lambo Bovino-"

Tsuna snapped and grabbed the mercenary's throat, effectively cutting off his speech. "Listen to me and remember everything I say, because I'm not going to say it twice," he hissed darkly. The Mafioso nodded with difficulty. "You can go back to the Don of the Bovino Famiglia and tell them that they can send as many people as they want to attempt to kill _me_, but threaten Lambo, whom they _abandoned_, or any of my Famiglia for that matter, and they will wish they had never been born. Understood, _signore_?" The assassin nodded again, frightened by the brunet's fierce glare. "Good." He released the man, who scrambled to his feet and scurried away, wincing with every hurried step he took.

Tsuna let his Sky Flames go out with a sigh, the song having ended just in time. He stuffed his mittens into his pocket again before hesitantly facing the prefect who had been watching the entire scene with interest.

"Herbivore, you have some explaining to do."

Tsuna gulped. "Well, I better go back home now, bye, Hibari-san!" And he sped off in the direction of his house before the skylark could stop him.

* * *

Only when he stepped onto the porch of the Sawada household did Tsuna start breathing properly again. He warily looked over his shoulder to see if Hibari had followed him, gratefully noticing that he hadn't. Something delicious wafted past his nose as he took out his key, and he knew that Nana had finished cooking up her feast.

The brunet inserted the key into the lock and turned it, unlocking the door. He opened the door slowly, allowing the aroma of his mother's delicious food to gradually flow out of opening. "Okaa-san, I'm back... sorry if I'm late, I was taking a walk," he called, finally stepping over the threshold.

Nana's voice came from the kitchen. "Tsu-kun, you're just in time! Your friend decided to come over, too!"

Tsuna frowned in confusion, closing the door behind him. "My... friend?" _Could it be Yamamoto? But I never told him where my house was..._

Nana grabbed Tsuna's arm as he neared the kitchen, pulling him in cheerfully. "I can't believe you made a friend already, Tsu-kun!" she gushed.

Tsuna gaped at the figure who was sitting at his table, surveying the feast laid out in front of him with interest. "H-Hibari-san!?"

"Yes, he said his name was Hibari Kyoya," Nana confirmed happily as the black-haired man turned and inclined his head slightly. "What a handsome boy he is!" She gestured towards the table. "Take a seat; the food is ready!"

Tsuna awkwardly plopped down onto his seat (which just so happened to be right next to the skylark's) and reached for his plate gingerly. _And here I thought that I could avoid having to explain until tomorrow! _he moaned inwardly._  
_

* * *

The food was scrumptious, as expected of Sawada Nana, but during the entire meal, butterflies fluttered in his stomach. The fact that Hibari hadn't said a word since his arrival, the small nod being his only greeting, only made the butterflies flutter about faster. _How am I going to do this!?__ After all, I slipped up so badly that Hibari-san will know if I lie during my explanation! _Tsuna thought, panicking.

_Riiiiiing._

"Ah, Tsu-kun, could you answer the phone?" Nana asked brightly.

"O-okay, Okaa-san," the brunet answered quickly, only too happy to have an excuse to get away from the black-haired male beside him. He stood up as quickly as he could and raced for the phone in the hallway, picking it up with a breathless "Hello?".

_"What's this I hear about an assassination attempt by the Bovino Famiglia, Dame-Tsuna?"_

"Reborn!" Tsuna had never been so glad to hear the babyish voice of his Spartan tutor, Reborn, before. Normally, he would cower in fear, even over the phone, but this time, he really needed the Sun Arcobaleno's help. He lowered his voice so that his mother and Hibari wouldn't be able to hear him. "Thank goodness you called me!" he whispered.

_"I also heard that someone named Hibari Kyoya was the one who dealt with the assassin," _Reborn continued, ignoring his student's frantic words. _"One hostage and you're rendered helpless, Dame-Tsuna? You're lucky that I'm not there right now to whip you into shape-"_

"There is something much more important at hand, Reborn!" Tsuna interjected before hastily lowering his voice once more, urgently saying, "I...I accidentally revealed that I can speak and understand Italian, and Hibari-san was watching me as I interrogated that assassin. Right now, he's sitting at the table in the kitchen of my house, _eating dinner_. He hasn't said anything yet, but after dinner, he'll probably ask about the situation and he's the kind of person who just can't be lied to! What do I say, Reborn!? What do I _do_!?"

There was silence on the other end. Then, _"...Tsuna, has your Hyper Intuition been trying to tell you something lately?"_

"Eh? Y-yes, actually... it was when I was thinking about the recruitment of two other Guardians, I think."

_"I thought so."_

"Wha-"

_"...I think Hibari Kyoya may be the one who is destined to be your Cloud Guardian."_

* * *

**Luna: Time for some translations!**

**Sei un bastardo! – You bastard!**

**Oh mio caro Dio! – Oh my dear God!**

**Per favore, signore, vi prego di smettere! – Please, sir, I beg you to stop!**

**perché!? – why!?**

**signore - mister**

**There weren't any songs or further explanations pertaining to Tsuna's reliance on headphones in this chapter... there will be in future ones, though! Also, if Reborn's proclamation seems too sudden, know that the next chapter will reveal more. Thank you! ^_^**

**Tsuna: Please review! All criticism is welcomed!**


End file.
